Learning to Love Once More
by faithx5452
Summary: Can one tough medical intern and a cold hearted woman finally find the love they deserve with each other? Or will the complexity of how different they are to one another be the driving force to separating them forever? Maggie & Kendall *FEMSLASH*
1. Chapter 1

Author – Caroline aka 'Faithx5452'

Title – Learning to Love Once More

Show – AMC

Pairing – Maggie & Kendall (MAK)

Rating – PG 13 to R

Warning – If the idea of two women in love with one another offends you, don't read any further. If this subject material does not offend you, then please continue on you're merry way. Also, the story touches upon violence against women

Disclaimer – I do not own any of the characters of AMC. They are the products of the very talented Agnes Nixon's creative mind and are daily brought to life from fiction to reality by the talented actresses and actors who play them

Author's Notes – I originally posted this story on the Elizabeth Hendrickson and BAM board and at the time no story had been written about this unlikely pair. I'm always up to a challenge so I took on this pair that may have only been imagined and attempted to explore their relationship. I am re-posting this story here in bits as I do some edits to the story so please be patient

Feedback – If the story moves ya enough to give some, then by all means go ahead. If not, that's alright

**Summary** – What if Maggie and Kendall found a connection with one another after the whole trial of Michael Cambias' murder was done with? Would one tough medical intern and a cold hearted woman finally find the love they deserve with each other? Or will the complexity of how different they are to one another be the driving force to separating them forever?

"Learning to Love Once More"

By faithx5452

**Part 1 – Recognition for an Unlikely Savior**

The town of Pine Valley and its residents went to sleep peacefully with the knowledge that the Cambias trial was finally done with.

While the loved ones of Bianca Montgomery found refuge in they're homes and in the company of loved ones, one lone woman makes her way warily to her abandoned apartment.

"And then there was one." She speaks, bitterness dripping from her tone as she surveys the darkness blanketing her home. Turning on the light, she blinks at the sudden brightness. She doesn't even bother to check her message machine, at the moment she wonders why she had ever purchased one. No one has ever bothered to call her, and if they were to by some chance it would have been to accuse her falsely of something she apparently did.

For Kendall Hart, eldest daughter of Erica Kane and sister to Bianca Montgomery, she lived a painful and often lonely life. Having always relied on her tough personality and manipulation, she's never been able to open her heart to anyone.

Sure, there was Ryan who she had married once. But after a misunderstanding, he walked out of her life like so many others would do throughout the years. Tonight, Kendall knew that Ryan was with Greenlee somewhere; her long lost cousin of sorts thanks to a paternity test that proved Jackson McCoy was the father.

Of course, Greenlee Dupre, a woman who could rival both Kendall and Erica Kane's personalities and leave with body limbs in tact. Kendall and Greenlee had been the close of friends once, due to they're shared investments with Fusion, but they're friendship was often threatened or put on hold as they're own judgments of the other ruled over any logical thinking.

Then there was Erica Kane, mother to Kendall Hart though the woman hadn't fully admitted to the role until just a few months ago. Erica had all but banished Kendall from her life in Pine Valley, the fact that Kendall was the child of Erica's rapist was another factor for Erica's disdain.

But even though all these people had at one time or another hurt Kendall or continued to do so, none of them were able to compare to what Michael Cambias had done to her. Cambias had played Kendall for the fool she had once been, she had convinced herself that he actually cared for her but she realized too late that he was only using her to get to Erica. Michael's biggest mistake was having raped Kendall's little sister, Bianca, as a way of revenge on the two Kane women. Kendall was ready to kill Michael for what he did, but unfortunately someone had beaten Kendall to it.

Who it was that had gotten there first had broken Kendall's heart, there standing over Michael's lifeless body she found her dear young sister's hands trembling with the gun still clutched in her fingers. Only through soft pleading and reassurance that Michael was indeed dead, did Bianca let go of the smoking gun. That night, Kendall knew things would forever change in her life.

She had sacrificed everything to save her sister from a murder trial and her unborn niece from the backlash of being a child of rape. She had practically lost all of her friends who thought she was only doing it because of her greed, she had lost Ryan in her web of lies and forever pushed him away from her heart, and she had almost lost whatever relationship she and Erica had been able to form due to her keeping Bianca's pregnancy a secret.

Didn't they know? Couldn't they tell that all she had done, every lie she had told was to protect them?

Kendall was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't hear the door to her apartment opening. Which was why she almost jumped out of her skin when a voice suddenly sounded from behind her.

"You did a good thing today."

"Maggie?" Kendall asks turning around quickly, surprise showing on her features as she registers at seeing the blonde standing in her doorway. Hell, she was more surprised that Bianca wasn't with her. Ever since...that terrible night...Bianca and Maggie seemed inseparable. To the misfortune of Lena. "What...what are you doing here? I thought you left with Bianca?"

Closing the door, Maggie walked into the apartment condo. "I did but then I realized that I was becoming the third wheel around the time that the song 'Just the Two of Us' started playing." Kendall nodded, in a way she could relate. She herself had been the third wheel plenty of times in her life. Whether it was with love triangles or broken friendships or family she never seemed to come out on top of anything.

"So you, what? Decided 'hey, maybe I'll go visit Kendall? See if she wants to start a pity party?'." Kendall accused, knowing that her accusation was unfair seeing how she really didn't have anything against the younger girl. Sure, at one time or another the two of them were on opposite sides when Fusion and Enchantment were at odds with one another but Maggie had been caught in the middle due to the fact that she was best friends with Bianca and was civil with the girls of Fusion.

Shaking her head, Maggie had to remind herself of all that Kendall had been through today. Even if Kendall's comment was a bit harsh and uncalled for. "I don't pity you, Kendall. In fact, pity is far from what I feel when I think about you." Maggie stifled a winced, oops, she hadn't meant to let that last part slip.

A carefully shaped brow rose at this, "Oh? Then what do you think about me?" Kendall asked, honestly curious.

Smiling, Maggie sat down after Kendall motioned her towards one of the chairs in the living room. Despite the differences in Kendall's character from Erica, the two shared the fact that they both were extremely curious about what others thought of them. While Erica was looking for admiration and respect, Kendall was looking for acceptance and love.

"I think…" Maggie paused; the fact that she was having an actual conversation with Kendall amazed her. For once, they weren't talking about Bianca or Erica or Fusion or any of the problems that surrounded them. Just a simple conversation between two women. "I think you're amazing." Was the most brutally honest answer Kendall had ever heard.

Kendall blushed, before the night of Bianca's rape Kendall would have never openly blushed or even been capable of feeling shy. But she had changed, whether some people weren't ready to admit to it, she wasn't who she used to be. Even a small compliment had enough power to cause her to be insecure of whom she was.

"I'm not amazing, if anything I'm a cruel person."

"Well, if that's true it's only because you've grown up in a cruel world." Maggie retorted, her tone light and understanding. She knew how tough living in this world was; she had too many skeletons in her own closet from her childhood that secured that notion.

"You're not getting soft on me, are you Maggie?"

"God, and face the wrath of Kendall Hart defenseless? Please."

Smiling at the younger woman's sarcasm, Kendall stood up from the couch and motioned to the kitchen. "Can I get you a drink? Water? Coffee?"

"Do you have anything stronger?" Maggie asked hopefully, usually she would've declined the offer of any alcoholic beverages but after the past 48 hours she would have drank anything to forget it all.

"I'm surprised; I thought all doctors lived off of coffee." Kendall said, catching Maggie on her change of drinks. Nevertheless, Kendall got up and walked over to her wine cabinet.

"Don't believe everything you hear." Maggie warned playfully, taking off her coat.

Maggie hadn't planned on staying for coffee or even for as long as it seemed she would be, but she realized that she didn't want to be stuck in between the Bianca and Lena sandwich. Besides, she had never really gotten to know Kendall…other than what she had heard other people say about the lanky brunette but she had a feeling that for all that people said about her; it was all carefully placed misconceptions.

Kendall smiled as she put the water on for coffee; perhaps she wouldn't be alone for at least one night after all. The prospect of having company with someone, even if it was for one night, was more than she needed.

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2 – Strangers Like Us**

"You're kidding, aren't you?"

A disbelieved Kendall asked, not able to believe such a thing.

Shaking her head, Maggie couldn't stop the laughter that was bursting from her. "No!"

"I don't believe it; I can't _imagine_ Frankie doing that." She spoke in denial, her words slurred from the three glasses of wine she had consumed over the past two hours. To this day, the memory of Frankie participating in such an unthinkable act was inconceivable.

The sisters had been 8 years old and it had been Halloween, of course they had been left to they're own devices; seeing how they're own mother rarely paid them any heed, especially if it came to something as Halloween. With what little money they were able to come up with, the twins had gone to they're local pharmacy and purchased they're own Halloween costumes. While Maggie chose to be dress as a swash-buckling pirate, Frankie had oddly chosen to dress up as Barbie. Blonde wig and all.

Maggie doubted anybody who had met Frankie would believe her sister would have even gone near a dress, and since Frankie had destroyed any and all photographic evidence, Maggie was left with just the mere memory.

"You're lucky, to have had that with you're sister…I never had that with Bianca." Kendall's saddened words seemed to throw the two of them in a more somber mood than the drunken high they had been celebrating in.

"You have that now." Maggie assured, placing her hand on the other woman's shoulder in a gesture of comfort and to steady herself. The room had suddenly began to spin.

"Yeah, after Bianca's been through a complete hell." Kendall huffed, sinking down to the floor and bringing Maggie with her. The two leaned they're backs against the couch, side by side both women staring off into nothing. Each were lost in they're own thoughts, they're own regrets, and fears.

"Everything will be fine, though, won't it?" Maggie asked, knowing that Bianca was more than out of the clear. From what Bianca had told them at the courthouse, it seemed that the DA's office couldn't charge Bianca with the murder of Michael Cambias.

"I hope so. I'm just worried about Erica."

"Yeah, she's been pretty vocal hasn't she?" Maggie joked dryly, while she hadn't been able to personally witness Erica's tirades against Bianca's pregnancy she had gotten a few details from Bianca.

Looking at her unlikely companion, Maggie felt her heart go out to the other girl who was more fragile than anyone gave her credit for. Drunkenly, Maggie mused on how similar the two of them were. Despite some of the more obvious differences between the two of them, they had grown up with similar backgrounds and shared a mutual love for Bianca and her unborn baby.

Maggie couldn't imagine how Kendall was feeling or thinking, knowing Erica was obviously against Bianca giving birth to her rapist's baby. What mamma Kane didn't realize was that Kendall was taking Erica's objections too personally. After all, Kendall herself had been the child of rape and had lived her whole life with the stigma of that title.

Couldn't Erica see for one moment how much her words were hurting Kendall? Erica's objections were being interpreted by Kendall as Erica wishing Kendall had never been born and that they're progress towards a relationship hadn't meant anything to the proud Kane mother.

Clearing her throat, Maggie raised her glass with a small smile in hopes to lighten the mood once more. "Well, I propose that we make a toast."

Raising an eyebrow at this proposal, Kendall too raised her own glass. "And what is it that we're toasting to?"

Pausing for a moment, Maggie seemed to consider Kendall's question. "How about…for the people in our lives and for surviving."

"To us." Kendall's glass clanked against Maggie's in agreement.

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3 – The Morning After**

"Oh god…" She moaned her voice hoarse from the amounts of whisky she knocked back the night before. Now Kendall remembered why she had given up alcohol in the first place, to avoid the mind-numbing pain that came afterwards.

Taking a deep breathe, she knew that eventually she would need to get out of bed. Whether it would be the need for pain killers to soothe her headache or nature's calling, she didn't know which would cause her to move in the end. Deciding to take the initiative, Kendall began to move but as soon as she did her leg made contact with a body part that definitely did _not_ belong to hers.

"What the…?" She trailed off, not sure if she had imagined the body part or not. Moving her leg again, she definitely felt another leg in bed with her. "Oh…shit." She whispers, eyes closed she reaches out again, this time with her own hand; hoping she's still in some sort of drunken dream and not reality.

Unfortunately, her hand makes contact with soft skin. Softer than her own and the moan that follows is definitely not from her own lips. Yanking her hand back as though she had been burned, Kendall slowly turned her head to look down at where the moan originated from. And found, to her horror, who had made it.

"Maggie?!" She exclaimed, surprise lacing her tone. Distractedly, she noticed that Maggie was in a similar state of undress as her.

"Kendall?!" Maggie shouted back, her own surprise evident in her facial expression. Maggie flung herself back as much as she could without actually falling out of the bed, grabbing the sheets that were on her side, she used them to shield the front of her body.

The two women were staring face to face with one another, each wondering what they hell happened to them the night before but more importantly…why the other was naked.

"Did we…? I mean…" Kendall stumbles over her words, for once in her life she's at a loss of what to say. Then again, she never imagined herself in this sort of situation.

"I think we did. I mean, you're naked…I'm naked…and unless we joined some nudist colony overnight I think it's a safe bet to say 'yeah'." Maggie rambled, clutching the bed sheet for dear life.

"Oh god." Kendall let out in disbelief; she wasn't sure what surprised her more: the fact that she slept with her sister's best friend or that she found Maggie more attractive than any straight woman should think another woman as. Mentally, she scolded herself for the last part.

"Okay…okay, let's think about this rationally." Maggie spoke, trying to calm both her and Kendall's nerves.

"Right, okay. We're two grown women…we can handle this in a mature and responsible way." Kendall agreed, she was a Kane woman after all. Taking things like this in stride should come easily enough to her. She knew that Erica had more than her fair amount of conquests during her own lifetime, surely her mother had to have gone though something like this.

"You came over last night…" Kendall began.

Maggie nodded, "Right and we were talking about Bianca…"

"And we had a few drinks…"

Silence filled the room as the two were left staring at each other. Neither knew or remembered what exactly happened after they're drinking fest but it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what had taken place. Especially considering the clothing that was scattered around the room and Kendall's rumpled bed sheets.

"So, um…" Maggie began, trailing off nervously as she looked everywhere but at Kendall directly. "What do we do now?"

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

*Thank you for all the reviews that have been submitted, its definitely put a bit of a fire under me to get you guys the rest of the chapters for this story AND to figure out where I'm going to take the sequel! :) Please keep reviewing, it's the only way I'll know that people are interested in this story, thanks again!

**Part 4 – What Now?**

"What do we do now?"

Maggie's question hung in the air, causing yet another silence to blanket Kendall's bedroom.

"What do you mean?" Kendall asked, getting up quickly without any attempt to hide her current state of nudity. She figured that since Maggie had at one point or another seen her naked the other night there was no point in trying for modesty.

For a few seconds, Maggie lost her ability to speak. She knew Kendall was gorgeous, she just never realized _how_ gorgeous Kendall was _without_ her clothes on.

"We slept together." Maggie pointed out stupidly, not knowing what else to say. It didn't help that Kendall was currently walking around the room, naked. Maggie couldn't help but admire Kendall's physique and how proportional Kendall's body was. Snapping out of her not-so-innocent thoughts, Maggie attempted to rectify her words. "I mean, usually there's some explanation that's due afterwards or at least a talk of some sort."

"Is that what you think we need? A talk?" Kendall asked. If anything she needed lots and lots of time on a shrink's sofa. Here she was, naked like the day she was born, with the hangover from hell and to top it off she had slept with the woman her baby sister was in love with.

Blinking, Maggie was a little thrown by Kendall's off-handedness. The concept of a one night stand wasn't something Maggie was particularly an expert in but she just couldn't believe how _cold_ Kendall was being.

"I think it may help." Was Maggie's meek reply.

Kendall didn't take a moment to consider her words; she had had her own share of one night stands before to know when to kick them out before things could get messy. She had made a mistake in making her latest one night stand be with someone she knew personally and who knew people she did. "Maggie, we were drunk and we slept together. And since I can't remember any of it, it must not have been that memorable. It was a drunken mistake that we really don't need to revisit." Kendall explained with a non-caring attitude that left Maggie confused and more than a little hurt.

Maggie still couldn't grasp just how someone could be so harsh and uncaring after sharing the night that they did. Okay, given that neither of them remembered any of the night's activities it didn't mean it made it any less special to Maggie.

Unknown to Kendall, Maggie had only slept with two people in her entire life. Henry and now, god help her, Kendall Hart. Maggie may not seem like it most of the time, given her late sister's reputation that seemed to follower her still to this day and the fact that Maggie was always seen as the steady rock in her friendships; but when it came to love, Maggie wore her heart on her sleeve. When Maggie shared a bed with someone, she wanted it to mean something important and be something special. Not some simple one night stand.

"A mi…mistake?" Maggie sputtered, getting up as well but still shielding herself with the bed sheets tightly wrapped around her naked form.

"Yes, plain and simple." Kendall replied, going to her closet and pulling out a silk robe. Wrapping it around her, she continued to walk around with Maggie following behind her.

"So, the fact that we spent the night together and _slept_ together meant nothing to you?" Maggie asked, wanting the brunette to clarify.

"God, Maggie! Yes! How many times do you need to ask? Yes, it meant nothing. Haven't you ever just slept with someone for the hell of it?" Kendall didn't even bother to turn around.

"No, I actually haven't! But apparently you have, I just wish I had known before I came here." Maggie muttered the last part under her breathe, glad the older woman hadn't heard her. She had seen the wrath of mamma Kane and a small part of it in Bianca on a few occasions; she could only imagine what Kendall was capable of.

"Look." Kendall stopped in the doorway of her bathroom, her back to Maggie who barely stopped herself from bumping into Kendall and knocking them both over.

"We spent some time together; we had a few drinks and then slept together. That does not a relationship make. Just _enjoy_ it, don't try to make it out to be more than it was."

"But…"

"I expect you to be gone when I'm finished with my shower." Kendall's voice implied that there would be no argument from Maggie's side.

With those parting words, Maggie came face to face with Kendall's bathroom door as it was slammed in her face. "Damn."

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 5 – The Aftermath**

"Stupid…how could you be so _stupid_?" Maggie muttered to herself as she fumbled for her keys.

After she had been kicked out of Kendall's apartment, Maggie had berated herself all the way back to her place, criticizing how she had led herself to believe that Kendall was capable of expressing any sort of emotion, compassion particularly.

It was amazing how, after all these years of building a wall around her heart that one night of alcohol could tear down everything Maggie had put up. She had wasted no time in getting rid of the clothes she had worn in Kendall's apartment. Somehow, she just felt dirty, like she had been used. Which, in a way she had, considering that Kendall had kicked her out with no more of an explanation to why. So she had swung by the hospital and grabbed one of the spare shirts she left there in for the days she had to stay there longer than necessary.

On the drive to her and Bianca's apartment, she had picked up something tasty from BJ's. During Bianca's pregnancy, the other woman had acquired a knack for strange eating habits. Not to mention she had slowly become an emotional roller coaster. It was all Maggie could do to keep up with Bianca's changing needs and emotions. Though she had to admit, despite all the drives in the middle of the night to the local market and avoiding getting whacked by a flying pillow; Maggie liked being by Bianca's side during all of it.

She had also managed to get semi-use to Bianca's constant changing food habits.

"Well, here's hoping she's for Italian." Maggie whispered, opening the door to find her roommate pacing.

"Where have you been?" Bianca demanded, the worry in her voice warming Maggie's heart.

"I know, I know, I should have called. I kind of had a long night." Maggie apologized, placing the paper bag onto the table.

"Maggie, I'm not you're mother." Bianca reminded, knowing she could be at times mother henish when it came to the other girl.

Barely stopping herself from rolling her eyes at Bianca's comment, Maggie silently thanked whoever was up there that Bianca in no way reminded her of her estranged mother.

"I know, and believe me when I say I'm very grateful."

"So where were you? Jamie's?" Bianca asked, forcing a smile onto her face. Secretly, she was hoping that Maggie's answer would be 'no' and that Maggie had once again gone off on one of her all night study sessions.

"Not quite."

"Then…?"

"Nowhere important." 'At least not to her.' Maggie thought bitterly, remembering Kendall's cold dismissal.

"Oh." Bianca could tell something had happened that was bothering Maggie, she just couldn't place her finger on what.

"But hey, I got you something." Maggie spoke enthusiastically, desperate to change the subject. She didn't want Bianca to question her further on what happened to her last night, especially since she and Bianca had shared a kiss just a few days ago. One that they had yet to talk about, which was yet another thing to add to Maggie's list of things she was hoping to avoid.

Besides, she knew that telling Bianca about Kendall wouldn't do anyone any real good. She could see it now; Bianca would look at her with her big innocent eyes and say they needed to talk about what happened between them. And she in turn would turn to Bianca and say, 'Yes. I kissed you…and then I slept with you're sister, Kendall.'

Wincing internally at that scenario, Maggie knew without a doubt that wouldn't go well no matter how many times she thought it over.

"Food?" Bianca asked hopefully, it was ironic but also a personal triumph for Bianca since she had struggled with an eating disorder when she was younger. Nowadays she just couldn't get enough food into her belly for the baby's liking.

Laughing at Bianca's hopeful expression, Maggie pulled out the tinfoil meal. "Yep, I figured since its 10am that you'd be on a food craving of some sort."

"Thank you! You're the best." Bianca's smile was all Maggie needed to make her day seem a little better.

"Thanks, B."

Too bad she didn't feel like she meant anything special.

To be continued…


	6. Chapter 6 and Chapter 7

**Part 6 – Things Change, More Than You Know**

"Come on, one more bite. For the baby." Maggie smiled as Bianca gave into her last request before even opening her mouth. Bianca was just too predictable.

"Alright, but a small one!" Bianca warned, "Hey, that's huge!" Bianca exclaimed, watching as Maggie held the 'small' piece of the Italian cuisine.

"Mmm." She let out a satisfied moan, leaning back into the couch as she felt completely satisfied. Not only was she _and_ her baby full, but she had been fed by a beautiful woman nonetheless. 'Can life get any better?' Bianca asked herself.

For the first time that day, Maggie was beginning to feel a bit better. She always cherished the time she and Bianca spent together, more so lately.

With Maggie's busy schedule at the hospital for her internship, not to mention her school studies, it was amazing that Maggie had time to even sit down with Bianca and talk about they're days.

Bianca too had been busy, the Cambias trial had put a strain on Bianca mentally but she had recovered with support of all her loved ones. Now with her baby on the way, a baby shower planned by Babe, and looking for a new house…well she was amazed at herself for even having time to breathe.

They're conversation of possible baby names was interrupted by the sound of knocking at the door. Bianca looked at Maggie, knowing that neither of them weren't expecting anyone to stop by today.

"Hey, whoever's at the door we'll name the baby after." Maggie suggested, smiling as Bianca made her way to the door. Her smile disappeared as soon as she saw who was behind the door.

"Bianca, I found the most beautiful house!" Lena said, grabbing onto Bianca's arms happily.

"You didn't tell me you were moving out." Maggie spoke, standing up from the couch. Both Lena and Bianca looked at her with varying looks of embarrassment and shame.

"Bianca?" Maggie questioned, directing her attention to her friend who stood nervously.

**Part 7 – Survival Means Everything**

"You didn't tell me you were moving out."

From that little accusation, the day had gone from going back on track to okay to spinning out of control. Bianca had explained how she needed more space once the baby was born, space that the apartment wouldn't offer because it was too restricting. Lena had a few times added her own two cents as well as selling the idea to the enthusiastic Bianca.

Being the good friend that she was, Maggie had gone along with the idea and supported it even though inside she was screaming at Bianca for an answer to why everything was happening so suddenly.

Things hadn't improved when Jamie had shown up, seeing him as her only salvation out of an awkward situation, she had claimed that she had a date with him and none too gracefully shoved him out the door with a quick apology to Bianca.

So here she was, sitting on Jamie's couch with her head on his broad shoulders. It had helped a little, knowing that he understood that she didn't want a repeat performance of the limo at the moment or anytime in the near future.

So there they both sat, wallowing in they're own personal turmoil's with the ones they loved and knew.

Not only had Maggie's heart gotten broken but now Bianca was abandoning her. Okay, perhaps 'abandon' wasn't the right word, but it didn't lessen the hurt Maggie felt or how she had wanted to wipe off the smug grin that had threatened to spread across Lena's face back in the apartment..

"What happened back there? I mean, survival? From what?"

"How about, complete and utter humiliation." Maggie offered, not budging her head a bit.

"Aw, come on. You and Bianca are like, best friends. I'm sure she'd never humiliate you." Jamie assured, stroking Maggie's denim-clad arm. "I mean, it's not like you two…"

"I kissed Bianca." Maggie blurted, burrowing her head further into his jacket.

"Kissed." Jamie finished, eyes widening a bit as Maggie's words sunk in.

"Wait, you two kissed? Like…actually kissed? Not, kiss on the cheek but an actual kiss?"

"That's what kissing _is,_ Jamie." Maggie replied in frustration, pulling out of his arms she rested her head in her hands and her arms on her legs.

"Wow, that's…really hot."

"Gee, I'm glad you're taking so much enjoyment from my pain." Maggie said sarcastically. She always knew she could depend on Jamie to rub it in a little bit more. She just couldn't understand what it was that got guys so horny when it came to the idea of two women doing anything to each other. She knew that she didn't get any sort of pleasure from the idea of two guys doing things.

"And I slept with Kendall." She added, figuring it would be best to get it out there. Even though Jamie was like any other guy, he was one of the more sensitive ones that she knew. Besides her uncle David and Aidan but she sure as hell wasn't about to go confessing her love life to her uncle. There were just some lines that needn't be crossed.

"Damn, and I thought I was suave." Jamie managed, now trying to wrap his mind around this new piece of information.

"Jamie, not helping." Maggie groaned into her hands, wondering if she had done the right thing entrusting Jamie with the information she just told him.

'Probably not.' Maggie's inner voice told her.

"Right, supportive friend."

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 8 and Chapter 9

**Part 8 – Regrets I've Dealt**

"Damn it!" Cursing, Kendall pulled the sweater over her still damp hair.

Once she had taken her shower and gotten a few coffees' in her system, the previous night's events were slowly but surely coming back to her. With each new memory of last night, the worse she felt of how easily she dismissed Maggie's words and presence.

She realized that unlike most of the people she had met in her life, including those she had slept with, Maggie had came to her with the honest offer of companionship of two friends. Boy had she _ever_ given Maggie more than she was bargained for.

Kendall was never known for her sympathetic nature until just recently, but regardless of whatever Maggie had heard about her…she still came to her.

She had done a lot of things in her life that she regretted, things that had caused people to leave her as a result. But in the end, it was her that was fearing that people would leave her or were only involved with her to use her.

Looking at her track record with people, no one could really blame her for thinking that way.

She had loved Ryan deeply, so much in fact that they had been hitched but being the mistake that she was, she had thrown that away when he misunderstood an interaction she had with Aidan.

And Aidan, her real-life knight in shining armor who had never done anything but trust her completely…who she used time and time again. Yet, he still stood steadfast by her side. How she had garnished such loyalty was lost on her.

Then she had brought that monster, Michael, to Pine Valley and released him onto her beloved little sister. If it hadn't been for her gullible nature to believe that he loved her, all the pain Bianca had gone through that summer could have been avoided.

She had even managed to backstab her friends, the girls who as a group had sworn to never letting the other down. Yet, she had let them each down in her own ways. From stealing the company away from Greenlee to keeping Aidan from Mia to even getting in a few squabbles with Simone.

"And I threw away the one person who could've meant something." Kendall muttered, she knew what she needed to do. She needed to find the other woman and apologize, even if it meant getting on both knees to do so.

Grabbing her keys, Kendall decided to go to the one place that Maggie could be.

**Part 9 – Words Are My Weapon**

"I'll just let you two take a look around for a few minutes." The real-estate broker suggested, smiling as she left.

Being the supportive friend that he was, Jamie had suggested a change in scenery for the both of them. Which had led to Maggie proposing the idea that the two of them move in together as roommates, and with that suggestion out of her mouth, they were now standing in the apartment across the hall from her and Bianca's soon-to-be-old-one.

"So, what do you think?" Jamie asked, hands in his pockets.

"It's…big." Maggie replied, not knowing really what else to say. The place was more spacious than she had realized, which made her wonder if Lena had conveniently forgot to suggest this apartment to Bianca when she had taken upon herself to 'assist' in Bianca's search.

"Yeah, but that's the whole point right? 'Cause if you ever bring someone or if I do…we won't run into each other." Jamie reminded.

Before either of them could say anymore, someone else decided to step in.

"Maggie?"

"Kendall?"

The two women stood staring at one another, reminding both of them of some sort of showdown at the O.K. corral. Kendall stood at the doorway of Bianca & Maggie's apartment, Maggie at the doorway of her potential apartment.

"What are you doing here?" Jamie demanded, stepping in front of Maggie protectively before Kendall could move an inch towards her. Even though he knew the brunette couldn't physically harm Maggie without a good fight, Kendall was known for her harsh words that could bring even the toughest person to they're knees. She did have Erica's DNA in her, who was to say she didn't inherit Erica's mean streak?

"You're moving?" Kendall asked while completely ignoring Jamie's presence, she looked into the apartment she stood in front of and noticed the boxes that seemed to be all around the tiny apartment.

"Not that it's any of you're business but yes, I'm moving to the apartment across the hall."

"We're going to be roommates." Jamie added before deciding he should probably move some of the boxes to the other apartment after the two women glared at him simultaneously.

"Maggie?" Jamie turned; wanting to make sure that Maggie would be alright. Although Maggie and he had an unspoken agreement that the 'fun' they had with each other was nothing but that, he couldn't help feeling strongly protective over the young woman.

"I'll be alright, really." Maggie managed a small smile, hoping her voice sounded more confident than she actually felt. In truth, she had been hoping she would never see Kendall's face again but she knew this was an unlikely wish that would come true; being the best friend of Bianca was bound to have her and Kendall bumping into each other.

"If you say so." Jamie shot one last suspicious glare towards Kendall as the descendant of Erica Kane walked towards Maggie.

"Maggie, I…" Kendall began, only to be cut off.

"You know, people warned me about you." Maggie spoke coldly, her body language stiff.

"Even Bianca, though she of course didn't say blatantly try to paint a bad picture of you. Unlike you, she's too pure to do such a thing. To speak of someone negatively, no matter how much her dislike may be."

"You don't mean that." Kendall wouldn't let herself believe that Maggie truly believed in the words she was speaking.

"How the hell would you know? You know nothing about love; women like you use and abuse it! You're not Kendall Hart; you're Kendall Heartless-Bitch-Extraordinaire!" Maggie shouted as all her pain and anger getting the best of her.

Maggie's shouting caught Jamie's attention, and once again he was instantly by her side with a glare to boot.

"Maggie…?" He began to ask, only to be stopped by her raised hand.

"Can we just…go, somewhere that's not here?" She pleaded, at his answering nod she grabbed her bag and without a final look made her way towards the elevator.

"I think you should go." Though it sounded like a suggestion, the way Jamie was looking at Kendall gave her the impression that she had really no choice.

Still, Kendall wasn't about to back down so easily. She was just beginning to realize how much it was worth to fight for somebody like Maggie.

"No, no I'm not listening until you've heard me out." She objected, looking at Maggie in the eyes.

"Kendall, just do yourself and her a favor. Leave her alone. Haven't you screwed up enough people in Pine Valley?" With that last parting shot, Jamie walked towards the elevator where Maggie was waiting.

"But never anyone I've cared for." Kendall whispered to herself, watching as the doors closed.

To be continued…


	8. Chapter 10

**Part 10 – Shattered Pieces of a Broken Heart**

"You okay?" He asks tentatively, unsure of whether he should touch her or not.

"Would you stop asking me that? That's like, what? The eighth time in the past five minutes?" Maggie blew up, exhausted with Jamie's questioning. Although she loved the guy and thought he was great, at times he was more aloof than anyone she ever knew.

After the run in with Kendall in the hallway of the apartment, the two had gone they're separate ways after exiting the apartment building. Jamie had gone to his parents' houses to grab his own stuff, while Maggie had gone to attend Bianca's baby shower. She had gone, fully knowing that the chance of running into Kendall there was very likely because of the fact that Kendall _was_ Bianca's sister and the-soon-to-be aunt of Bianca's unborn child.

Luckily Kendall had not pursued a conversation of any sorts during the baby shower; Maggie surmised that it must have been because Kendall didn't want to take the attention away from Bianca and her child. Though, if anyone was going to take that honor it would have been Erica.

Once the baby shower had ended, Maggie had been the first one out of the Chandler mansion. Wishing Bianca farewell, Maggie had claimed she had a standing arrangement to meet Jamie afterwards and here she was; sitting at BJ's sulking in the emptiness that was her love life.

"Uh-oh, don't look now." Turning to look where Jamie was looking or at who had caught his attention, Maggie felt herself sinking lower in her seat when she saw Kendall walking through the door of BJ's.

"Geez, did she put a tracking device on you or something?"

"Or something." Maggie mumbled, hiding behind her menu as best as she could. Though, she knew when she saw Kendall that the other woman had immediately saw her and was making her way towards they're table.

With Kendall, nobody could get away with looking at her without being caught.

It had been apparent that Kendall had come into BJ's looking for her, if her intent stare was any sort of hint.

"Maggie, we need to talk." Kendall's voice was stronger this time, she wasn't about to back down without telling Maggie what she needed.

"Hey, down sparky." Kendall snapped, taking her attention off of Maggie for the first time since she entered, and directed a heated glare at Jamie.

Puffing up his chest, Jamie was about to say something back to Kendall when Maggie shook her head.

"Jamie, just go…get us a drink okay?" Maggie asked softly, hoping that he wouldn't put up much of an argument.

Waiting for a few moments, Jamie finally conceded to the idea. "Fine. I'll just be over there, okay?" He asked, pointing to an empty barstool.

"What?" Maggie asked, turning to look at Kendall once Jamie was on his way to the bar.

"Just five minutes, please…"

"Five minutes?"

"Yes. That's all I need."

Either Kendall come up with _the_ shortest apology ever and was banking on her charismatic personality to win Maggie's affections over again or Kendall was acting on desperation, Maggie was unsure of which.

"Fine, you have five minutes." She allowed, part of her was wondering if Kendall had the capacity of being sincere.

"Or what? You'll sic you're lap dog on me?" Kendall joked, nodding her head at where Jamie was scowling at her from where he sat at the bar.

"Sorry, bad joke." Kendall apologized, noting no reaction at all from Maggie at her attempt of lightening the situation.

"Maggie…I know I hurt you somehow…" Kendall started, stopping at Maggie's scoff at the obvious.

Maggie's arms were folded across her chest, her eyes darting from Kendall to the tabletop to once again Kendall. All the hurt, all the pain of being rejected from someone's bed was beginning to build inside of her and threatened to release itself.

Kendall wanted to desperately reach out and console the hurting woman, but she knew it wasn't her place. After all, she was the one to inflict this pain onto Maggie, what gave her the right to pretend she could get rid of it?

"And I know that nothing I say can make it go away. I don't even know how you're feeling right now but I shouldn't have done what I did. If I could, I would re-do it all over again. I thought I would never find someone who would relate to me on so many levels, but you make me feel happy. More than I've ever been…and I threw that friendship away with a stupid mistake on my part."

They had both grown up with tough childhoods. Kendall, the child of rape and her existence practically ignored by her mother of all people. Maggie, whose mother couldn't give a damn for her or her sister's existence and who had done things to them that she would never be able to forgive her mother for.

Two lonely women who only wanted to be loved and shown the same love that they bestowed upon they're friends.

They both had built walls around they're hearts, for reasons that differed. Kendall had grown up practically not trusting anyone, and no one could truly blame her. After all, she had grown up in a web of lies and betrayal. Why would anybody leave they're hearts open to the possibility of being hurt?

While Maggie had been too open with her heart and who she gave it to. Unlike her twin sister, Frankie, Maggie wore her heart on her sleeve too much that it had gotten her in trouble on many occasions. Maggie had gotten her heart used and hurt too many times that she was forced to build a solid wall that would protect it from future hurt.

"I didn't mean what I said, please believe that." Kendall pleaded, her eyes beginning to glisten. "I need you to believe that…I do want you to be my friend. I want you in my life, Maggie."

Silence fell between the two women, the tension threatening to suffocate them both.

"Is that all you have to say?" She asks with her head bowed.

"Yes. Yes it is." Kendall says, a little perplexed at Maggie's flat tone.

Kendall watched as the younger woman raised her blonde head, noticed the glistening tears in Maggie's eyes and distractedly remembered that in all the time that she knew Maggie…she had never seen the other woman cry.

Sure, she knew that Maggie most likely had the capacity to cry but Maggie had always been the strong rock in all they're lives. Never one to show any weakness or cease being the supportive role in they're lives.

Sadly, Kendall wondered when Maggie had cried during Bianca's rape. Sometime during Kendall's trial, during a conversation late one night when Bianca could not sleep, her baby sister had told her how Maggie had stood by her side. How it was Maggie who had gotten a gun and had gone to Michael's with all intent of killing him but couldn't, because she didn't want to be yet another person in Bianca's life to complicate her problems.

But Bianca had said that Maggie had never confided in how she felt when she heard about the rape nor had Maggie ever try to broach such a subject, believing that it would only bring unwanted memories to Bianca.

Kendall could only wonder if Maggie had cried herself to sleep when she had learned of Bianca's rape, or if keeping Bianca's secret had torn her up inside?

"Do you know what the really sad part is?" Maggie questioned, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Not knowing what to say, Kendall shook her head 'no' as she was at a loss for words.

"I've only shared a bed with two people in my entire life." Maggie paused, wanting this little fact to sink into Kendall's conscious before continuing. "Henry was my first…the first person I gave myself to. He ended up using me to cheat for his grades."

A sinking feeling began to form in Kendall's stomach; something about the way Maggie was talking gave her the feeling that the conversation was nowhere near okay.

"And the second person I slept with…says it was just a _mistake_." Maggie spat, her voice trembling when she said 'mistake'. Just looking into Maggie's eyes, Kendall knew who that second person was.

"Do you know what it feels like to be considered a mistake?" Maggie questioned. Kendall nodded, wanting Maggie to understand her and why she said what she did. "Yes, yes Maggie I _do_. I know what it feels like…" She spoke quickly, hoping to change Maggie's mind.

But the other girl shook her head, "No…no you _don't_. You _think_ you do, but you don't." Maggie whispered, "All my life I was told I was a mistake. My drunken mother loved to remind Frankie and me that we weren't meant to ever be born. That it was a _mistake_ for me to even exist. Then I…I share myself with you, and I thought…" Maggie trailed off, letting out a disbelieving sigh at her thoughts.

"What? What did you think Maggie?" Kendall questioned, taking a step forward. Slowly inching closer to Maggie.

"I thought that you were different, that you actually cared." Maggie spoke the words with such disbelief that it tore at Kendall to know she had caused such pain with her thoughtless actions.

"I thought you could relate to me…that we made some sort of connection that night." Kendall didn't need to be told what night Maggie was thinking of, she doubted that either of them would ever be able to forget.

"I _told_ you things about my life that I haven't even told Bianca, because I knew you could understand. But I guess I was wrong…that you never did understand."

With that, Maggie grabbed her jacket and ran out of BJ's with Jamie following right behind her.

Kendall remained sitting in the booth, knowing that any sort of attempt to talk to Maggie at the moment would be to no success. She would have been lucky if Jamie would even let her within 10 ft of the other woman.

So she sat, a single tear running down her cheek but she didn't even notice it. Nor did she pay any attention to the customers around her table glancing her way and whispering to themselves.

Nothing mattered to her more than the woman who had fled just a few seconds before.

"I do understand, more than you could ever know." Kendall whispered to herself, watching helplessly as Maggie ran out of BJ's and into the night.

To be continued…


	9. Chapter 11

**Part 11 – Searching for the One That Got Away**

"Who is it?" The owner of the apartment asks, making her way towards the door. Opening the door, she finds herself almost thrown aside as her visitor walks in.

"Kendall?" Bianca asks, watching her obviously antsy sister. A word she never thought she would use in relation to Kendall.

"Bianca!" Kendall exclaimed, as she walked into Bianca's apartment as soon as her little sister had opened the door and granted her access.

"Kendall? What are you doing here so late? Shouldn't you be at home getting ready for the Fusion campaign?" Bianca asked, surprised to see Kendall on her doorstep at such a late hour. Her older sister wasn't exactly notorious for making late night visits to anyone; especially in they're family until recently.

"Forget about the damn campaign, do you know where Maggie is?" Kendall asked, her breathing a little ragged after running up the two flights of stairs to get to Bianca's apartment.

"Maggie?" Bianca asked confused, wondering when her older sister and best friend had become so close.

"Yes! Maggie! You're best friend, short girl, and blonde hair?" Kendall replied sarcastically.

"Kendall, I think I remember what my best friend looks like." Bianca reminded, "Why do you want to see Maggie?"

Bianca had noticed something was missing from Maggie's usually lively personality in the past few days. At first the brunette had chalked it all up to nervousness of the aftermath of the whole trial fiasco but her friend had been getting more distant lately.

When she had confronted her, Maggie had dismissed any of Bianca's fears that she had done something to cause the distance. However, when she questioned Maggie if there was anyone new in her love life the other girl had virtually shut down. Choosing to adopt the persona of Frankie instead.

If her older sister could shed some light onto Maggie's weird behavior, then perhaps she could get down to why Maggie was acting the way she was.

"What? Is the possibility of her and I being friends so hard to comprehend?" Kendall asked, a little disturbed that the idea of Maggie being friends with her was unthinkable.

"Kendall, calm down. I'm not suggesting that at all and you know that. What's wrong with you?" Bianca questioned in concern, noting how defensive not only Kendall's tone but stance was getting.

Kendall fell silent, not really sure what to say to Bianca about…whatever was going on between herself and Maggie.

"Do you know what's going on with Maggie?" Bianca asked, watching her sister closely.

"You could say that."

Bianca stared at her sister in confusion.

"She and I…we kind of…slept together." Kendall mumbled, it was all Bianca could do to strain her ears to hear the mumbled confession.

"What?!" Bianca hissed, surprised and a little hurt.

"She came over to see how I was doing and we had a couple of drinks and one thing led to the other."

"You _slept_ together?" Bianca shrieked.

"It wasn't supposed to happen…"

"No, unplanned pregnancies and kisses from you're supposed straight friends aren't supposed to 'happen'. Sleeping with someone requires a little bit of conscious thinking!" Bianca ranted, not realizing that she let slip the bit of information of her kissing Maggie.

Unfortunately, Kendall picked up on it. After all her fights with Erica, she had acquired a valuable weapon when it came to a war of words. To pick up on every little thing the other person was saying, even if it may seem meaningless.

"Wait, wait…which straight friend kissed you?"

It was now Bianca's turn to turn crimson, stumbling over her words as she was caught.

"I…well…Ma…"

"Maggie? Maggie kissed you? When?" Kendall demanded, feeling she had a right to know.

"A while ago. Look, it didn't mean anything and it isn't what's important right now."

"And what? My sex life is?" Kendall shot back.

"Oh my god…_you're_ the one she's hung up over?" Bianca exclaimed softly, her hands going to cover her mouth. Everything that Kendall had been saying starting to catch up to her.

She wasn't sure what surprised her the most.

The fact that her best friend was now apparently gay or at the least bi-sexual or the fact that her best friend and only sister had something going on.

"I don't think she would necessarily call it 'hung up over', though."

"What did you do?" Bianca was almost afraid to ask. If Kendall was the real cause behind Maggie's uncharacteristic behavior, she almost didn't want to know the extent of damage her sister had inflicted.

"We slept together…"

"And?"

"I kicked her out the next morning." Kendall admitted, putting all her cards on the table.

"Do you…do you still care for her?" Kendall asked, gulping at the very thought that her baby sister could still be pining after the very charming Maggie Stone. The last person she wanted to compete with for Maggie's heart was her own sister.

"Yes. I think I always will." Bianca answered honestly, watching as Kendall looked away. Smiling through her tears, Bianca placed a loving hand on Kendall's arm and waited for the curly-haired woman to look at her before speaking.

"But that doesn't mean it should stop you from going after her." Bianca added, giving Kendall her unspoken blessing.

"So is that it?" Kendall asked, looking at Bianca.

"What?" Bianca couldn't tell what Kendall was talking about now.

"Does that make me…gay?" Kendall whispered, as though fearing that somebody would jump out behind the couch point they're finger at her.

"It's not that bad, being gay." Bianca informed, her tone 'matter-of-fact'.

"I didn't mean it like that, Bianca…" Kendall was quick to apologize for whatever offense Bianca was taking to her unintentional words.

"I know Kendall, don't worry." Bianca assured, years of learning to adapt to the stigma that society bestowed upon those who were members of the gay community taught her to not let little things or off-handed comments affect her.

"So what do you suggest? Expensive wine? Diamond necklace?" Kendall asked.

"Kendall, Maggie's not the kind of girl you woo with fancy jewelry or extravagant places. It may seem nice but she'll see through it." Bianca tsk'd.

"I know, I know she isn't…but…" Kendall trailed off, exasperation clear in her voice.

"I'm trying, I really am. It's just…" Kendall looks down, seemingly embarrassed by her inability to express what she wants to say.

"What?" Bianca pressed on.

"I've never felt so close to someone…she makes me feel like I can be really happy with who I am. For once in my life, I feel like I can finally give me heart to someone without wondering if they're up to something or if they'll hurt me." Kendall confessed.

"What about Ryan?" Bianca wondered, finding it strange how Kendall seemed to have connected more with Maggie than Ryan who had been her husband.

"The marriage with Ryan wouldn't have lasted long, regardless of the misunderstanding with Aidan." Kendall waved her hand dismissively, clearly not wanting to talk about her history with Ryan.

During the past few days, she had noticed Ryan's attentions had been elsewhere. Or more importantly, focusing on someone else. One Greenlee Dupree.

"So what does that make Maggie? A rebound? Someone who will be there for you when you need something from her?" Bianca couldn't help but demand. Some would say that it was Bianca's love for Maggie that was driving her to interrogate Kendall

"No!" Kendall exclaimed, shaking her head at the very thought. Then again, she couldn't blame Bianca for assuming that's what she thought Maggie was. After all, she _had_ kicked Maggie out of her bed.

"Then what?" Bianca crossed her arms over her chest as best as she could without disturbing her pregnant belly.

"She's the owner of my heart, I think." Kendall whispered, tears spilling from her eyes as this revelation began to sink in.

Her words managed to silence Bianca as well. Neither knew what to say or what to do with all that had been revealed.

Finally, Bianca broke the silence.

"So…you and Maggie?"

Kendall nodded, looking at Bianca worriedly.

Remembering Bianca's complex past with Maggie and how Bianca had her own romantic feelings towards the short blonde. "Are you okay? I mean, with that…knowing that she and I slept together." Kendall clarified.

Bianca got up from the couch and paced in front of the still standing Kendall.

"I suppose a part of me resents you for it, she had told me that she was straight after all." Bianca reminded.

"Do you still love her?"

"I'm not sure, but it doesn't matter anymore because that chance passed her and I already. Maybe even more times than either of us knew. Don't make my mistake Kendall."

To this day, Bianca sometimes wondered 'what if'. If she had gone after Maggie, would things had developed or stayed the same? She would have to live with her choice of not pursuing Maggie further.

"So you want me to, what? Go after her?" Kendall asked, not understanding how Bianca could suddenly be cheering for her to go after the woman she once loved as well.

"Yes."

"I can't."

"Why? Because you've never pursued anyone you've actually loved? Or because you don't want to admit that maybe for once in you're life you're in love without fearing it?" Bianca challenged.

"God, you're worse than those psychiatrists I saw when I was younger." Kendall attempted to joke, but to no avail.

"Erica is going to have a fit, if she ever learns that now _both_ her daughters are gay."

"Well, we'll just deal with that when it comes."

"She's never going to believe that I woke up gay." Kendall shook her head in amazement, still wrapping her own mind around it.

"Kendall, you can't just wake up one day and say…'hey, I'm gay!'. It doesn't happen over night." Bianca shook her head; this was another one of society's constant misconceptions of gays.

"So, what? You're gayness rubbed off on me?"

Bianca shook her head at her sister's words.

"That's not how it works, but I think this is something that may have been in the making for a while now."

"What does _that_ mean?" Kendall demanded, not liking the knowing smirk that Bianca was wearing.

"Say all you want but I've seen the way you've looked at Greenlee. And with all the fighting you two do, you guys were only a few fights away from tearing each other's clothes off." Bianca laughed, enjoying the different shades of red her sister was turning.

Kendall had no appropriate response for her sister's words, she wouldn't admit it but at one point she had found Greenlee more than a little attractive.

Once Bianca's mirth subsided, her face once again turned serious.

"She's been hurt before Kendall." Bianca warned, her voice not as threatening as before.

"I know…and I'm one reason why she's hurting." Kendall spoke honestly, leaving no doubt in Bianca's mind that for once Kendall had learned to open her heart to someone. And she was glad that her sister chose to open her heart to Maggie.

Though, she wasn't about to deny the fact that a part of her wished she could have been the one that Maggie shared her undying love with. But she supposed that train had come and gone when she accepted Lena back into her life and eventually in her heart as well.

Sighing, Bianca decided that her sister was being sincere. Kendall had told enough lies in the past to make Bianca know if she was lying or not about her feelings for the shorter blonde.

"If she was going to be anywhere, you're safest bet would be the boathouse. She likes to go there to think when she thinks her world is crashing down or threatening to." Bianca offered the little piece of information that Kendall had come looking for in the first place.

"Thank you, baby sister."

"If you're really thankful, do me a favor?"

"Anything." Kendall promised. Bianca had not only given her consent to go after Maggie but perhaps she gave her a second chance with Maggie on a silver platter.

"Don't hurt her, okay?"

"I'll try not to."

This answer didn't please the very protective Bianca. And she wouldn't cut Kendall any slack for being her sister.

"Try harder than."

"Yes ma'am." Though it was said sarcastically, Kendall meant it whole-heartedly.

"She may seem tough but she's just trying to survive." Bianca's words had an underlying warning to them; as good as Kendall's intentions seemed to be, Bianca couldn't help but feel protective over Maggie.

Even if it was just Kendall.

"Aren't we all?" And with that, Kendall was out the door before Bianca had the chance to respond.

To be continued…


	10. Chapter 12

**Part 12 – Confronting our Emotions**

"Guess mom was right after all, huh Frankie? Nobody could ever love us." Maggie whispers, looking at the calm water before her.

Since her departure out of BJ's, Maggie had been wandering around Pine Valley in a daze. She didn't have any real destination in mind but knew she was looking for someplace to sort out everything that had been happening thus far.

Her sanctuary? Where else? The boathouse. The only place that seemed to belong to Bianca and herself. The only place she could feel close to Leo than she had the chance to during the time he was alive.

She would come here when she just couldn't be the steady rock people had come to expect her to be. Nobody knew that she had cried her heart out, demanding God or whatever higher power there was; why Bianca had to be viciously attacked by Michael.

The boathouse had slowly, over time, turned into the place where Maggie could confess her darkest secrets and internal turmoil.

She never thought she would seek this place out as a result of a broken heart. But here she was, broken hearted and hurting.

'What would you do, Frankie?' Maggie thinks to herself, back against the boathouse as she sits on the hardened floor.

She remembers how tough her twin was during her short-life. Remembers how nothing seemed to faze Frankie. It was times like this that Maggie wished she could have such a nonchalant attitude about things and be able to solidify the wall around her heart so no intruders could harm her.

"_Frankie? What are you doing?" Maggie asks, staring at her sister in disbelief._

"_Packing, what does it look like?" Frankie shoots back, sarcastically._

"_I can see that but…why?"_

"_Why not?" Frankie counters, putting the last of her belongings into the worn suitcase._

"_I can't do this anymore, Aggie."_

Maggie smiles in bitter remembrance. She always hated the nickname her sister had bestowed upon her.

_Maggie didn't need to be told what Frankie was referring to, Maggie was getting tired of all they're mother's mood swings. If the dark rings under Maggie's eyes were any hint to this._

_Still, she couldn't grasp the thought of her own sister leaving. No, leaving her._

"_It'll get better…we can do it, together. I know we can." Maggie spoke, hoping to convince her sister to change her mind. But in the back of her mind, Maggie knew that it was pointless. Once Frankie got something in her head, she would go through with it with a stubbornness that Maggie knew she didn't inherit._

"_We've been putting up with her shit for too long, and I'm tired of it. I woulda left years ago if it weren't for you."_

_Maggie winces at that, Frankie would have seen this if she hadn't been closing her suitcase._

_Maggie knew that Frankie was right, even if her words were harsh. Maggie had begged Frankie to stay with her when they were younger, when they're mother went from light drinking to a full-pledged alcoholic._

_Frankie had stuck by her word, but Maggie had seen how after each brutal beating they're mother gave that the idea of leaving was slowly becoming more of an option for Frankie._

_Tonight, tonight was the boiling point for all the pain and suffering Frankie had been put through._

"_Where will you go?" Maggie asks, her voice defeated as she slowly gives into the idea that Frankie is leaving her._

"_Dunno, anywhere but here…that's for sure. I figure, any place other than this hell hole has gotta be good. Right?" Frankie picks up her suitcase, holding it with one hand._

_Turning, she looks at Maggie with a sad smile. She never liked to smile, never would. Frankie had once said she didn't think she could, since the world never gave her something to smile for. But she could muster up a little smile when it came to Maggie._

"_So…this is it, I guess." Frankie shrugs awkwardly. She had hoped that she could just slip out without being noticed, but through they're 'twin-connection' Maggie had gotten a hint of something going on._

"_Take care of yourself, Maggie." Frankie whispers, searching Maggie's eyes. She knows that by leaving, they're mother will take out all her frustrations out on Maggie without Frankie being there to intervene or cause they're mother to choose which girl she would take most of her anger out on._

"_You too."_

_And with that, Frankie was gone like the wind that she was always trying to catch._

Maggie closes her eyes, tears beginning to well up behind closed eyelids. It was hard, remembering how she and Frankie had said goodbye to one another.

"I'm not strong enough, Frankie…I need you." She whispers, head in her hands.

A voice brings her out of her thoughts, not the voice of her dead sister she was expecting to miracously speak to her but that of the last person she expected (and wanted) to hear.

"Hey." Kendall speaks softly, looking at Maggie's tense body. She watches as Maggie's eyes snap open at her voice.

"Kendall?" Maggie spoke in surprise, wondering how the other woman had found her and how in the hell she wasn't freezing in the clothes she was wearing. Though, she reluctantly admitted that she wasn't really complaining about how short Kendall's skirt was or how great it made the other woman's legs look.

Maggie shakes away her thoughts, reminding herself of the hurt Kendall caused her.

"Bet I'm the last person you thought you'd see tonight, huh?"

"You could say that. Though it's a toss between Leo and Frankie but you're high on that list." Maggie joked half-heartedly, turning back to look at the water.

"Wow, hope that's not the only list I rank high in." Kendall joked back, stepping closer towards Maggie but not taking a seat beside the other girl. She wasn't sure how Maggie would react or if she would even appreciate such closeness after all that happened.

"There were others but you're not doing so well in them."

Kendall's sarcasm was gone as she became awkward at that comment.

"Look, Maggie, I know I said some pretty harsh things and I know I can't take any of it back…"

"Then why are you here?" Maggie cut in, wondering if Kendall had come here to ease Maggie's mind or ease her own heart and to move on with her life.

"Because believe it or not, I think I care for you. More than a drinking friend."

"You _think_?" Maggie asked, turning to look at Kendall again. Wondering if Kendall was trying to fool her again. She was a Kane woman, and with Erica as her mother Maggie knew Kendall had the potential in her.

"Hey! I may have some blonde highlights but I'm not a total blonde. I do think every once in awhile."

"You can't just come here and think everything's going to be okay, like nothing happened." Maggie whispered, she wasn't angry anymore. Sure, she could never forgive Kendall for how she treated her, but now all she felt was pain and a little humiliated that she had fallen for Kendall's tricks.

"I know that, and I'm not trying to fool myself into believing that it ever would."

"Good. God, I can't believe I was an _idiot_ to believe that you were someone other than what people were saying you were." Maggie shook her head at her own stupidity.

"I know I'm not the person that you probably thought I am…"

Kendall paused when Maggie turned to look at her when she said that.

"Still, that doesn't mean I can't change." Kendall continued, forcing herself to get through to Maggie.

"I thought you changed, with the whole trial and everything." Maggie interjected, she remembered how pleasantly surprised Bianca had been when she found out how much her older sister was playing a supporting role for her. Maggie too had been touched by Kendall's kindness and had begun to believe that there was a side to Kendall that she was beginning to let show through.

She never would have guessed how wrong she had been to think such a foolish notion.

"I'm not perfect Maggie, I'm not Bianca!" Kendall shouted, tears beginning to form in her eyes. Of all people to compare her to her younger sister, Kendall never would've guessed that Maggie would have done what everyone else had. Erica had constantly pointed out how better Bianca was than Kendall. Greenlee continued to smear the fact that Bianca had Erica's undying love, while Kendall only had Erica's scathing words.

Kendall had believed that Maggie would never compare her to Bianca, simply because of the fact that Maggie must have known how Kendall was feeling. With the fact that Maggie had been constantly compared to her dead twin Frankie.

"I'm not asking you to be!" Maggie shouted back, her own tears beginning to show.

"Then what do you want from me? Do you want me to get on my knees and grovel for forgiveness? Will it help you to know that you were the only person I ever opened my heart to? That after that night, I could never see myself with someone else or that no one could ever replace how much you mean to me?" Kendall sobbed, laying out her whole heart on the table.

"I never asked anything from you! All I wanted…all I've _ever_ wanted was someone to love me as much as I love them." Maggie revealed, shutting her eyes at her admission.

Kendall stood, shocked to say the least. She knew that there was more to Maggie than what she let the world perceive her as the strong rock for those around her, but as an individual with an empathy for those around her. Whether they are people she loves or strangers she's met on the street.

But a lonely soul looking for the one thing that had escaped Kendall her whole life? True love? It seemed like the most obvious thing for every woman to want in they're life, yet for some reason Kendall never gave any thought that Maggie wanted that too. Until now, that is.

Sniffing, Kendall took one step towards Maggie. "I know my words could never amount to the damage I caused or maybe they don't even mean anything to you anymore…but I am so sorry that I did that to you. It's no excuse, I know, but I'm not perfect Maggie. I never will be…and when it comes to love I'm not the greatest judge."

"Tell me something I don't know." Maggie spoke lightly to lessen whatever harshness her words may have delivered.

Kendall smiled though, despite her tears.

"But I want everything you want Maggie. I want to fall in love just like the next girl, and I don't care who it's with…just as long as I'm loved in return."

"So, what now?" Maggie asked wiping her tears away; wanting to know what was to happen now between the two of them. She wasn't going to let her heart be broken again by Kendall, at least not so soon after the night they shared a bed; she had learned the hard way to never wear her heart on her sleeve like the used to.

"I'm sorry for how I treated you. You never deserved it and I'd like to be you're friend…and if you'd allow it? More than that, someday."

"Someday." Maggie allowed, not really hinting at if there would be a chance for a 'them' or not.

"I'm going to need time to sort things out." Maggie explained unnecessarily.

"I'll wait for however long it takes." Kendall promised.

"Okay, but I think for right now we should go inside or something before we catch a cold." Maggie suggested, for the first time realizing just how under-clothed the two of them were for the cold weather that was beginning to pick up.

"I concur, doctor." Kendall smiled, wiping away at her own tears as the mood began to lighten somewhat between them. Although Maggie didn't offer a real explanation on what would happen to them, Kendall wasn't about to push Maggie into something she wasn't prepared for.

She saw Maggie's offer of seeking shelter from the cold as a peace offering.

"What do you say? Bowl of chili at BJ's? My treat." Kendall offered, knowing of Maggie's notorious taste for spicy food.

"With an offer like that, how can I refuse?"

"I get it now."

"What?"

"How you manage to make everybody fall in love with you."

"With me? Please, I'm not the type of person people fall head over heels in love with." Maggie brushed away Kendall's comment with a slight blush. She had never been good in handling people's compliments of her.

"You don't give yourself much credit when it's due. But you have a charm about you that comes naturally."

Maggie didn't know what to say to that, so she didn't. There would be a time when she and Kendall would be forced to talk about whether there was even a possibility of a 'them', but for now it would be easier for them to be friends.

To be continued…


	11. Chapter 13

**Part 13 – 4 Months Later…**

"Ooo-la-la, hot date Stone?" Simone's playful voice caught Kendall's attention immediately as she entered Fusion's office. It was amazing how despite all the supposed backstabbing and threat of losing Fusion to the Cambias heir hadn't broken the bond between the Fusion girls.

After the judge dismissed any charges against Bianca and the Cambias murder was immediately dropped, life in Pine Valley had slowly but surely gotten back into its own routine again.

Erica and Jackson, though it took them a few months to work through they're problems, were to wed in the oncoming summer with all they're friends and extended family present. Even Greenlee had promised to play nice with Reggie.

Bianca was due with her baby in just a few weeks. Though she and Lena had seemingly gotten back together during the trial process, it seemed that there wasn't any life in they're once romantic interactions.

Lena still loved Bianca with all of herself, to the point that it could be seen as obsessive, but Bianca admitted to the Russian woman that she just didn't feel the same way anymore. She couldn't exactly pinpoint when her feelings changed but she knew that she wasn't going to live a lie or put Lena through some false relationship. Bianca was too pure to ever do that to someone.

Greenlee and Ryan had mended they're friendship with one another, and were currently in the process of dating one another. Though, it was still to be seen who actually wore the pants in the relationship.

Mia and Simone somehow over the past few months came to realize that there was a stronger bond between them than just friendship. With the help of Bianca and Greenlee and some clever planning to trap the two inside Fusion's storage closet; the two women were more inseparable than before and it was no secret to they're friends that they were an item. Though, there was no official word from the two women in question.

Maggie and Kendall were a different story, they're happy ending was yet to be seen.

Ever since they're emotion filled resolution in the boathouse 4 months ago, the two women had formed an unlikely but strong friendship. Helping each other through tribulations that would have torn at they're very beings without the support of the other.

Kendall had to face Ryan's accusations of supposedly hurting Greenlee when in fact it was Ryan's words that had drove Greenlee into the mineshaft and having to face a Donald Steele wanna-be who wrote up a story so false but fictional that it made Erica question Kendall's desire to be part of the family.

Through some connections Maggie had made over the summer, she was able to blow the story out of the water and expose it for the lie that it truly was.

Maggie herself faced some hard moments of her life during these months. Henry and his band came back into Pine Valley shortly after the boathouse reunion, effectively putting Maggie's world in a world spin and Kendall's emotion a flare.

Kendall never had felt so much jealously or loathing than she did when she really met Henry Chung. The guy seemed nice enough but with the knowledge that he had been the first to claim Maggie's body and had used her, well…he didn't rank anywhere near the list of people Kendall wanted to know this lifetime.

Maggie had also gotten word a month ago that her mother had passed away, the blonde had felt she needed to put the past to rest if she ever wanted to move on from who she used to be. With the support of her Pine Valley family and Kendall's love, Maggie was able to make the journey back to the town that drove both her and her sister out of it and lay the ghosts of the past to finally rest.

During the 4 months that had passed, Kendall had done something she never would have done before. She had done some soul searching, yes; she had even gone as far as taking a little driving trip to a nearby mountain to contemplate everything in her life.

From her newfound relations with her sister and mother, to her friends, to those she had hurt, and most importantly to where Maggie belonged in her life.

She came to the conclusion that she wanted Maggie to forever be a part of her life, whether as a friend or as a lover she decided was up to Maggie. After all, she had been the one to hurt Maggie so it only seemed right that Maggie be the one to decide what would happen to them.

Tonight though, Kendall had all intentions of telling Maggie her true feelings. But hearing Simone's words and the word 'date' made Kendall's courage simmer. Putting on a false smile that she had perfected over the years, Kendall approached the group.

"Who has a hot date?" Kendall asked, a little curious as to what sort of competition she may have to face in the matters of Maggie's heart.

Walking over to where Greenlee sat with a bunch of pictures from they're contest of eligible bachelors spewed in front of her, Kendall crossed her arms over her chest. She looked to where Maggie stood in the middle of the office, shifting from foot to foot.

Kendall had learned that whenever Maggie did this, it was when she felt on the spot or uncomfortable with everyone's focused attention.

"Maggie does. _Apparently_, some cute guy that we seem to all know asked her out today." Simone gushed; she had been hounding Maggie for weeks about going out with someone or at least looking at the possibilities.

Although Maggie was too shy to admit to it, everyone knew that Maggie had the potential to be swatting all the men in Pine Valley away from her door if she allowed herself to be available in the dating sense.

In the past 4 months, Maggie had practically thrown herself into her work and towards becoming a full-fledged doctor at Pine Valley. She still had a month to go, but her goal was practically in her reach.

"Oh, so who is this mysterious guy?" Kendall asked, trying to be nonchalant at it but failing miserably in Mia's eyes.

"Well, um…" Maggie didn't have the chance to answer when two strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind. Before she knew what was happening, she found herself twirled around and her lips colliding with someone else's.

"Jamie?!" Simone and Mia exclaimed, though surprised they did agree with Maggie's choice. Jamie was a decent guy, despite his aspiration to one day become just like his father and be the Casanova of his generation.

Shooting a glance towards Kendall, Greenlee nudged the other girl out of her surprise. Greenlee was the only one from they're group to know what Kendall had planned to do tonight.

After Kendall and Maggie's emotional confrontation at the boathouse, Greenlee found herself woken up by Kendall's tearful presence that night. At the time, the two were still trying to mend bridges with one another after a few encounters that could have finally ended they're friendship, Greenlee couldn't have turned away from Kendall who she had never seen so out of place before.

After about an hour of pleading, threats, and sarcasm Greenlee managed to get Kendall to confess what had her in such an emotional state. She had been caught more than unaware when heard that Maggie had given herself to Kendall. She could have sworn that Bianca was the one that Maggie wanted, but apparently she had been wrong this time.

Now, 4 months later she was surprised to learn that her dead husband's cousin had chosen Jamie of all people to date romantically.

Sure, before she never would have thought Kendall would be worthy of love or giving it to anyone but after they're friendship was solidified Greenlee allowed herself to see Kendall for who she really was. And personally, she just didn't see Jamie as the relationship type.

"Jamie's you're date?" Kendall hoped there wasn't any sign of her jealousy showing. She hated feeling that open, even if it was in front of her close friends.

Again, Maggie didn't have the chance to answer. Jamie took it upon himself to do all the talking for her.

"Yeah, Maggie and I ran into each other today at the hospital. I offered to repay her by taking her out to dinner and she accepted. Who would've thought, huh?" Jamie flashed his boyish grin; one he knew made all the girls swoon. Unfortunately for him, the company he was surrounded in were no simple girls but women in they're own right and who had fallen for better acts of charm.

"Certainly not me." Greenlee mumbled, earning an elbow to the side from Kendall this time.

"That's…great. I'm happy for you Maggie." Kendall spoke through gritted teeth, her false smile beginning to waver.

"Um, thanks." Maggie couldn't look into Kendall's eyes, she didn't mean to hurt Kendall or anything. It sort of happened, in fact she never intended this to be some sort of date but unfortunately Jamie had once again jumped to conclusions and assumed that it was.

Ever since the paternity results revealed that JR was indeed the father of Babe's baby, Jamie had felt publicly humiliated for thinking that one night of intimacy could produce his own offspring with his own brother's wife.

"Hey, we better get going if we don't want to lose our reservations."

"Reservations?" Mia piped in, speaking for the first time. She and Simone had they're own plans tonight, celebrating they're 4 month anniversary. It wasn't until just now that she began tuning into the conversation; she had been pleasantly distracted by Simone's choice of attire for the evening. She knew two things; anything made of leather and allowed Simone to show skin was _always_ a good thing.

"Yeah, I managed to score a reservation at the new restaurant that opened up last week. It's the new hot ticket in town."

"That's great; it sounds like you two will have a great time." Was all Kendall could manage as she and Maggie stared at each other until Jamie broke they're contact.

Kendall and the others watched as Jamie directed Maggie towards the elevator. It was all Kendall could do from throwing something at him when she saw how he had his hand placed possessively on Maggie's back.

Turning to cast one look at the girls, Jamie threw a smirk over his shoulder.

"Yeah, I hope so." Jamie winked, not too conspicuously to Maggie who suspiciously seemed to cringe at his flirtatious actions. Greenlee suppressed a knowing smile, perhaps there was hope yet.

To be continued…


	12. Chapter 14

**Part 14 – "Get off You're Ass!"**

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Greenlee spun around, pinning Kendall with her eyes from where she sat slumped on the barstool.

"Wallowing in my self pity, obviously." Kendall snapped back, not in the best of moods to participate in another battle of seeing which of them could lash out better at the other.

"Go after her!" Greenlee urged, a few seconds away from flinging the lanky brunette towards the doorway.

"Maggie?"

"No, the other woman you've been in love with for the past 4 months…yes Maggie!" Greenlee all but shouted.

"You know, I'm right here." Kendall reminded, rubbing her ears. It had been a miracle that neither Greenlee nor herself had gone deaf at such a young age, with all they're screaming matches they should have lost not only they're hearing but vocal capabilities too.

"Funny, because it doesn't seem like you are. At least, not the real Kendall I know."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Kendall's temper flared a little at Greenlee's comment.

"I understand you've been trying to give Maggie some room these past few months, but my god! How much time do you think she needs?"

"I don't want to pressure her into anything…" Kendall sighed, sitting back on the barstool in defeat.

"You've given her so much time that by now she's probably thinking that you don't care anymore."

"Hey, I'm not the one going out dating people!" Kendall pointed out, hand pointed to the door Maggie and Jamie walked out of.

"Besides, I just want her to be happy. And if…Jamie…makes her happy then I'm happy. For her."

"Fine, if you don't seem to care about they're 'date'." Greenlee made little quote signs in the air to emphasize her sarcasm.

"Then I'm sure the idea of Jamie kissing Maggie doesn't bother you at all. Or the thought of him touching Maggie where _you've_ touched her, doesn't repulse you." She knew she was playing with fire but she was getting tired of watching Kendall mope around during the past few months.

There was only so much time you can give someone as space to sort things out.

"No, no it doesn't." Despite how confident she wanted to sound, Kendall couldn't hide the revulsion that seeped into her tone or stop her facial expression to reveal just how she really felt about Jamie being with Maggie.

Deciding it was best for her to jump into the conversation before things could get ugly, Bianca did her best to ease Kendall's mood before any real damage could be done.

"I think what Greenlee's trying to say is that as considerate you've been with Maggie…she's probably more than ready."

"How do you know?" Kendall asked softly, her eyes pleading with Bianca for some sort of affirmation.

"I just do." Bianca whispered, her mind thinking back on the bond she shared with Maggie. But that was all in the past now, Kendall was the one who now held Maggie's heart. Bianca had waited too long and let her chance slip by, she wasn't about to stand by and let Kendall make the same mistake.

Sure, it had hurt her when Kendall had revealed the details to the night she had spent with Maggie. A part of Bianca, the part that still was in love with Maggie, had been extremely jealous. But it was unlike her to hold any grudges, even if her heart could be broken as a result.

What had probably hurt her more was the fact that Maggie had never found it important to bring it up to Bianca that she had spent a night with her sister, doing things with Kendall that Bianca had once dreamed she and Maggie could have shared.

"I never would have imagined that you would be cheering another woman to be going after Maggie's heart, especially me."

"Kendall, if there was anyone else who was going to win Maggie's heart…I'd want that person to be _you_."

Bianca spoke honestly, smiling at her sister.

Greenlee too smiled, glad that there didn't seem to be any apparent hostility between the two sisters or impending confrontations in the matter of Maggie Stone's heart.

Being the Greenlee that she everyone knew her to be, she couldn't help but add her own words of encouragement. Despite they're bluntness.

"So get off you're ass and go after the girl, damniit!"

And for the first time in a long time, Kendall was going to do something she never thought she would. She was going to take Greenlee's advice without question.

To be continued…


	13. Chapter 15

**Part 15 - Would You Like Fries with that Ego?**

It was the kind of date that you only read in romantic novels, a charming suitor coming to court you in hopes to win you're affections.

It's the kind of thing girls everywhere today hope to one day find or experience.

It was the kind of date she should have enjoyed herself with.

But it wasn't the kind of person she wanted to be with. She wasn't waiting around for any princes, so far all the men who had entered her life hadn't turned into any princes but remained frogs.

No, unlike other girls her age, she was looking for a princess who would treat her in the same respects.

Sighing, Maggie unsuccessfully tried to not tune out of what Jamie was going on about.

For as nice of a guy as he was, throughout dinner Maggie had heard every bit of what Jamie thought of himself and those in his life. At first it had been entertaining, but there is only so much ego one can take.

At the right moments, Maggie would add in the appropriate comments. Whether it be a 'uh-huh' or a believingly interested 'oh'.

Somehow she had survived the dinner without pulling her hair out or going completely insane. Jamie had 'suggested' that they take a walk but Maggie wasn't as welcome to the idea of his advances as he would have liked.

Instead, she offered that they make they're way back to the apartment they shared. Claiming that she was too tired for anything else.

This didn't phase Jamie out of whatever zone he was in, for even as they reached the door to the apartment he was still finding more attributes for Maggie to possibly adore.

"And then there was the time I…"

"Jamie…we need to talk." She held up her hand, stopping whatever he was going to say.

Blinking at this abrupt stop to a conversation, that he thought was going relatively well, he nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah, I think so too."

"You do?" Maggie turned to look at her companion in surprise, not expecting him to want to engage into a talk so willingly.

"Well, _yeah_. I mean, that time we shared in the back of Adam's car…" Jamie trailed off for a moment, a dreamy smile appearing on his face as he remembered the time they had spent while 'borrowing' Adam Chandler's car.

'Don't forget the jail cell that followed.' Maggie thought sarcastically, not liking how his voice became excited or the expression on his face.

"I felt a connection between us. It was strong and intense…" As he kept speaking, Jamie's voice got more excited with the prospect that there was a 'something' between himself and the very attractive Maggie Stone.

'Alcohol, Jamie. Alcohol.' Maggie's thoughts continued to add, she began to see where Jamie was beginning to go with his rambling.

"Jamie, Jamie!" Maggie interrupted, not needing him to go on.

"What?" Jamie was a little put off by her interruption, he was beginning to get on a roll.

"Whatever you _think_ was between us, isn't. There's…I'm sorry but I don't feel that way for you." Maggie apologized, wanting to let Jamie down easily. He had been a good friend over the year and she didn't want a foolish thing like misconception over a friendship to ruin what they had.

"No, I think there's more to it than just friendship Mags. I mean, you did kiss me back." He pointed out.

He had been planning this for weeks, hell; months even.

Ever since Kendall and Maggie had decided to play it safe as just friends, he had played the role of supportive best friend and roommate. Though, he would admit that he had his own reasons for acting like so.

Sure, Maggie was a great friend and an awesome roommate but that didn't mean he was going to ignore his hormones just on the account of friendship. Unlike some people in Pine Valley, Jamie was going to act on his emotions.

So he had planning on 'going in for the kill', planning on when to ask Maggie on a date. He had been prepared for her to reject the idea, which was why he pulled out all the stops by saying that she deserved to have a good time every now and then.

Unknown to him, Maggie had reluctantly agreed for two reasons. One, she did admit that she deserved some time to just forget about becoming a doctor and of her not-so-active love life. And two, the love sick puppy did not go so well with Jamie.

Perhaps it just came down to the fact that he was a Martin through and through.

"Yeah, because I wasn't thinking straight."

'Bad pun.' Maggie cringed, knowing that if anything she wasn't straight anything after kissing Bianca.

"So, what? You were _using_ me?" If there was a thing called a manly shriek, then that was what Jamie had just done.

Maggie had to hold back from laughing at the very thought of Jamie feeling hurt that someone was using him when like most males, probably had done his own fair share of using women.

"You were too! Remember the whole Babe situation?" Maggie was quick to point out.

"Yeah, but…that was different."

Maggie raised an eyebrow at this.

"Oh, how come?"

"Well, I…it just is."

"Why? Because you're a guy and it's okay if you're using a girl? But if a girl happens to use the guy, then suddenly it's so bad? Is that it?"

Flabbergasted, Jamie slowly realized that all his romantic planning of winning Maggie's heart tonight was slowly disappearing.

"No, no that's not it! I just…I…I thought we had something. Something special."

Jamie bowed his head, reminding Maggie of a lovesick puppy that had just been kicked.

A part of Maggie could feel for Jamie, could understand what he was feeling. She had gone through it with many people whom she had believed loved her or could love her; but she always found it harder when she was the one who would have to shoot down these hopes herself.

"We do Jamie, but not the kind that you're hoping for. We talked about this not happening between us when we first talked about moving in." Maggie spoke in a calming voice, hoping to keep Jamie's dignity in tact.

There was nothing worse than a man who felt he had lost all dignity by a thing called love.

"I know, but I can't help it…you're a great girl. You've gotta be pretty stupid to pass you up." Jamie spoke sweetly, making it that much harder for Maggie to drive the reality of nothing other than friendship happening between them into Jamie's head.

"But…"

"But we're better off as friends, yeah I know."

"You'll get it right one of these days, I just wasn't the one."

"Yeah, funny how that works. We never can have the one we want and when they actually want us back, we've already moved on." He spoke in such a way that Maggie got the sense that he wasn't talking exclusively about the two of them but of two different people all together. Who, she wasn't quite sure of.

"Yeah, funny thing love."

To be continued…


	14. Chapter 16

**Part 16 – Can't Get You Outta My Head**

"Damn it!"

All she wanted was some peace and relaxation to clear her mind, but it seemed that she wasn't going to get a break tonight.

After flipping through every possible channel on her car radio, she came to the conclusion that either there was a conspiracy from the higher powers against her or the radio was running a love fest on all stations.

The blonde cursed, shutting the radio off in frustration. No matter what, everywhere she looked she was reminded of _one_ person. Whether she was awake or asleep, all she thought of was that person.

For months one person had been on her mind, almost taunting her as well as driving her insane.

Her mother had once told her, on one of her rare nights of soberness, that when you were really in love with someone you would know when all you did was live and breathe them.

Maggie never believed her mother's words, and why should she have? After all, her mother had caused her so much pain at such a young age and had lied to her without a second thought.

Maggie never could believe in a thing that seemed so good, like love.

She had decided against joining Jaime for a game on his play station, instead opting for a drive.

"So, uh…you going to come in? Seeing as how you kind of live here too." Jamie offered, hoping to lighten the mood between the two of them since his confession of love for her.

"_Nah, I think I'm going to take a little ride. Get some fresh air." She declined, voice drained and clearly exhausted._

"_Look, Maggie, about tonight…I'm really sorry if I assumed…"_

"_Don't apologize for anything, you big goof." Maggie assured, patting him on the arm. He was a nice guy, just not her type._

"Why me?" Maggie asked, groaning she rubbed her forehead where the wheel of the seat had made an indent onto her skin.

She was happy being straight! She was happy with her one guy quota for every year. But then life had to go and throw her yet another curve ball from left field.

It had all begun with Bianca, beautiful Bianca who had stolen her heart without even trying or with Maggie even knowing it. A thief of hearts.

But then there was Kendall Hart, the true holder of Maggie's heart. The woman who, in a short amount of time had taught Maggie how to truly fall in love and how to get burned by it.

Maggie had always thought of Kendall as being emotionally closed-off, since that's what everyone else had described her as.

Whether it was Erica, who had seen her estranged daughter as a woman with a vendetta against her.

Or Bianca, who thought her older sister would hurt Erica by any means possible. Whether through her loved ones or the company she had created by herself.

All of her misconceptions of Kendall were thrown out the window, when Maggie had stopped by the Fusion office one afternoon looking for Bianca; only to find Kendall singing along to a tune on the radio.

_Opening her mouth, Maggie was about to call out Bianca's name as soon as she got off the elevator on the Fusion floor. Only to stop when she saw a slender back hunched over something._

_Realizing that it wasn't Bianca, since this person had curly hair and Bianca had straight, Maggie was about to turn around when she was stopped by a voice that would cause anyone to stop and listen._

_She began to grin when she realized who the owner of the voice was, Kendall._

_She never knew that Kendall could sing, she had thought that only Bianca could but apparently the gift of good vocals had been passed around in the Kane line of women._

_Perhaps she shouldn't have, but Maggie couldn't help but stand in the doorway listening to Kendall's beautifully tortured voice sing to the song on the CD-player._

_Once the song was over, Maggie decided against her better judgment to make herself known._

"_That was beautiful."_

_Maggie's voice interrupted the silence that Kendall had thrown herself into._

_Startled, if not surprised, Kendall dropped the photos she had been examining. She had thought she was alone, which was why she had been humming along to the radio, apparently she had been very wrong in this assumption of privacy._

"_Maggie!" She exclaimed, mostly due to her embarrassment at being caught off guard._

_Maggie offered an apologetic smile as Kendall began to pick up the photos from the ground._

"_Sorry. They're not ruined are they?"_

"_Luckily for you, no." Kendall joked._

"_Well, that's a relief."_

"_What are you doing here? Re-considering our offer to be a model for the cosmetics line?" Kendall asked, referring to the time when all four of the Fusions girls had approached Maggie with the idea of her being the face of Fusion._

_Maggie had declined, stating that she didn't want to create a rift between Bianca and Kendall by choosing one company over another. Though, Kendall knew that Maggie hadn't seen herself as someone who qualified to be the next face of Fusion._

"_No, actually I was just looking for Bianca. Val said she stopped by?"_

_Shrugging, Kendall placed the photos onto the table._

"_I don't know where my baby sister is these days. I just came in two hours ago, so she must have stopped by earlier." Kendall explained._

"_Okay."_

_Maggie's word caused an awkward silence to form. She didn't have anything against the curly woman, well…except for the fact that Kendall had on occasion been harsher than necessary to Bianca._

_But they had never had the chance at small talk or any sort of talk that didn't include references to Bianca or anyone else in they're Pine Valley group of friends._

"I didn't know you were a Red Hot Chili Peppers fan." Maggie spoke, deciding to voice the surprise she had when she heard Kendall singing.

"_There's not a lot about me that you know, Ms Stone."_

"_Really? Is that so?" Maggie asked coyly._

"_I may be beautiful, but I have other unknown aspects that set me apart."_

_Nodding as she made her way towards the CD player, Maggie noticed that the CD had been playing on the 1-track repeat._

"_What's the song?"_

"_Under the Bridge."_

"_Really? Frankie used to listen to that all the time." Maggie revealed, causing Kendall to smile a little at the mention of Frankie._

"_Why do you like it so much?" Maggie inquired, finding that she really did want to know._

"_It may be a song about drugs, but there's something more to it. A lonesome feel."_

"_Lonesome?"_

"_In the beginning, it opens up with the lines of not having a friend or anyone to count on."_

"_And you feel like you can relate." Maggie finished in understanding._

_She had felt that way before she came to Pine Valley._

"_Isn't that why you like the song as well?"_

_Maggie shook her head, a fond smile upon her face._

"_I never liked this kind of rock music before, but Frankie loved anything loud and hardcore. She got tickets to one of they're concerts once, I don't remember much of the concert since we were young but I just remember how…happy she was. This song was always her favorite."_

Staring glaringly upwards towards the heavens, Maggie was almost tempted to shake her fist at the sky. Somewhere up there, somebody was playing a sick joke on her and she had a sneaky suspicion that her dearly departed twin had some involvement if not all into it.

To be continued…


	15. Chapter 17

**Part 17 – History Repeats Itself…Or Does It?**

Kendall turned off the TV in disgust, she was the daughter of the famed Erica Kane and had made a name for herself as well among the Pine Valley residents…and yet here she was on a Friday night by herself.

She had turned to the TV in hopes of a distraction but all she had found were you're average Hollywood movie and late night soaps. Sometimes, she felt as though her own life was one big soap.

If Kendall Hart was honest, truly and brutally honest she would realize that she was afraid. Not afraid of Maggie but of what Maggie could do to her heart if Kendall gave it to her fully.

She was afraid of giving somebody her heart, totally and completely.

There was a time when she hadn't been so afraid or hesitant to give out love. Though Erica would probably see this as such an unthinkable thing, it was true. There had been a time when Kendall was a free spirit, who fell in love freely without doubting whether the person she gave it to would use it to hurt her.

That is, until she met the woman who would hurt her heart and make her as emotionally guarded as she was today.

It's strange how our mind works when it comes to our memories. How our consciousness seems to specifically choose which memories to keep and which to rid itself of. Unfortunately, for all the good memories we hold onto, we also hold onto the bad memories that shape us. Make us learn from those particular bitter experiences so as we could become a better person.

For Kendall, it was the opposite. The first person she fell in love with ended up using her, and to this day she can still remember her name. Despite all her efforts to rid herself of the very memory of _her_.

Amanda DeTario.

To Kendall, she was known simply as "Mandy". _The_ love of her teenage years.

Her first friend, her first crush, her first love, her first mistake, and her first heartache.

Her first…everything.

Her mother and sister would always be plagued with the painful memories of they're rape whenever it would rain, and always will for the rest of they're lives. For Kendall, the rain holds a different significance.

It would remind her of the night she gave herself freely to Mandy, only to find herself thrown aside in a manner much like how she had treated Maggie.

As though the powers of be themselves are doing it, the memories play through her mind like a sick slideshow.

"Mmm, hey." Kendall whispers, a sleepy smile appearing on her face.

Moving closer to her companion, Kendall begins to spoon the other girl from behind; only to find Mandy moving away from her touch.

Confused, Kendall can only stare at Mandy's back as the tall blonde gets up from the bed.

"Mandy…?"

"What do you think you're doing?" Mandy asks.

Staring at her best friend, Kendall can't help but think that Mandy must be kidding to ask such a question with such a…well, obvious answer.

"Waking up naked next to you…?" She tried for joking, but failed as Mandy's back muscles visible tensed at her words.

Sensing that her first time was beginning to spiral out of control, Kendall tried to desperately salvage whatever she could of the 'moment' that comes after a night of love-making.

"What happened?" Mandy demanded.

"What are you talking about? We made love."

"We had **sex**, there's a difference." Mandy spat back.

"I don't understand…" Kendall trailed off, confusion written all over her face.

You're first time was supposed to be magical, something that you would always cherish…not this.

"You've got to be in love with someone to make love."

"Weren't we?"

Mandy's silence was all the answer Kendall needed.

Suddenly Kendall felt herself shiver, not at the coldness of the room but at the coldness in Mandy's eyes.

"I think you better leave." Mandy whispered, no hint of the love that was spoken the night before evident.

_Barely catching her clothes that were ungraciously flung at her, Kendall watched stupefied as Mandy walked briskly past her without another word._

_Kendall closes her eyes, trying to once again close out those bitter memories but can't escape them even in her mind._

Perhaps this was her punishment, to relive all the pain she had gone through and all the pain she had caused on the people she cared about.

Like any good first love, things began to get turbulent in her relationship with Mandy after the disastrous first (and last) night together as lovers.

Mandy had sworn Kendall to secrecy the next day, still confused the young Kendall had readily agreed to this. Hopeful that she would get in Mandy's good graces if she did.

It had worked, for a short time. Mandy started to act like the old Mandy, no hint of harshness in her tone though there was clearly tension between them.

Kendall had begun to believe that they were on the road to rebuilding a relationship when Mandy suddenly ended things between them for good.

_"We can't do this anymore."_

_"What?"_

_"We can't do this." Mandy said, giving back the ring Kendall had given her._

_"But…but…"_

_"Kendall, don't. Okay? It's been fun, really. But did you really think that it would be something serious? We're teenagers, Kendall! I want to have fun and explore new things, not be tied down by some relationship or to one person." Mandy exclaimed._

_"I thought…we were in love." Kendall whispered brokenly._

_"No, maybe you were in love…or in love with the idea but I never said I was." Mandy corrected._

_"What are you saying?"_

_"I can't do it anymore, Kendall. I'm sorry, but I can't pretend to like you…when I don't."_

Kendall was brought out of her painful memories when a knock at her door sounded, Kendall was surprised. She hadn't been expecting any visitors tonight. She knew the chances of Erica visiting her were slim to none, since Kendall still lived just a few feet away from Michael's condo.

And Bianca had her own life to worry about, so there was no need for Kendall to hold Bianca back by her own dilemmas. Her younger sister had a big heart, at times it had gotten Bianca in more trouble than was worth it, but somehow her sister demanded to take on the troubles of everyone around her. No, no matter how tempted Kendall was to pick up the phone and cry her heart out to her younger sister, she wouldn't burden Bianca tonight with yet another person's troubles.

Simone and Mia were out of the question, it was almost an unspoken rule that nobody was to contact or go near them on Friday nights. Because of the hectic schedules and deadlines Fusion now demanded of all it's employees and owners, neither women had much time to see each other and when they did they spent every second near one another.

Despite being back on good terms with Greenlee, Ryan and Kendall continued to avoid one another. It seemed, to they're friends, that there would be no sign of friendship in they're future anytime soon. There had been too much hurt and distrust as well as lies to go towards the first few steps of mending bridges that had long past been burnt.

Blinking, Kendall stood up and approached the door warily. Hoping that it wasn't Reggie deciding to crash for the night, since Kendall's trial and they're cover up of Bianca's involvement with Michael's death, the two had formed an almost brother and sister relationship. It did have it's drawbacks though, often for Kendall who found herself more than one time the host to Reggie's friends who would come to her place after Jack had kicked them out of his.

Kendall had never expected to find the person standing at her door.

"What are you doing here?"

To be continued…


	16. Chapter 18

Part 18 – Behind Door Number Two…

"What are you doing here?"

She asks, surprise evident in her voice as well as her eyes. It's all she can do from pinching the person in front of her, just to make sure they were actually standing in front of her.

"Hi." Her unexpected guest replies, a smile of uncertainty of whether her appearance is welcome or not is the only indication to the nervousness she feels.

Shaking her head as if to clear her mind of something, she continues to stare at Maggie.

There, standing before her was the woman who had become to mean so much to her in the past few months since they're 'incident'.

"I thought you were on a date?" Kendall asked, poking her head outside to look around outside to see if Jamie was hanging around in the shadows or hiding in the bushes waiting to pounce on her.

"Uh, _was_ on a date. And it really wasn't even a date to begin with." Maggie made a face at the word 'date'.

"What happened?" Kendall asked leaning against the doorframe, her curiosity more than a little piqued.

If anything, she expected Maggie and Jamie would be getting to know each other even better after they're date back at they're apartment.

Never did the idea of Maggie showing up on Kendall's doorstep with no Jamie in sight, ever cross her mind.

"Let's just say that Jamie was more than a little delusional." Maggie spoke vaguely, not really wanting to get into more of an explanation than that. She hadn't come to Kendall's place to talk about her non-existent relationship with Jamie.

"Oh."

Silence filled the air, Maggie stood a bit awkwardly.

After coming to the conclusion that she would have to face Kendall sometime, sooner being better than later, Maggie had made her way towards Kendall's.

It had taken her a good 10 minutes standing outside of Kendall's door to gather her courage to even knock on the door.

The only problem was, that's as far as she had planned. She had never expected Kendall to actually answer the door or to even be standing here talking with her.

Which reminded her, she probably should start concentrating on what Kendall was saying since the brunette's lips were beginning to move again.

"Do you want to come in?" Kendall asked suddenly without thinking.

"Sure." Maggie accepted in relief. She hadn't been sure how she was going to go about asking Kendall if she could come inside without Kendall getting the wrong impression of her intentions.

Ushering Maggie into her apartment, Kendall closed the door after Maggie was inside.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Maggie asked suddenly, not thinking until just now that maybe Kendall had been otherwise occupied before her surprise visit.

"No, no…I was just watching some TV."

"Oh."

At this, Maggie's eyes unconsciously made they're way to where the TV set rested. What she found was a blank TV screen. Her eyes came back to rest on Kendall, who had also followed Maggie's eyes to where the TV was.

"There wasn't anything good on." Kendall explained lamely.

"I hate that." Maggie offered unnecessarily, in an effort to buy herself some time to figure out what exactly it was she wanted to say without sounding like the village idiot.

Throughout the duration of the car ride back into Pine Valley, Maggie had been trying to psyche herself up for the upcoming confrontation. Sadly, she was met with no luck.

"So…were you going somewhere?" Kendall asked, the only thing she could come up with.

Nodding, Maggie smiled crookedly at Kendall's attempt at making the conversation seem normal.

"Yeah, well…not really. I was just out driving, there wasn't anything good on the radio." Maggie joked.

"And you made a detour to my place?" Kendall pressed.

"I was in the neighborhood?"

She hadn't really thought through what she was going to say once she arrived at Kendall's apartment.

"Okay, I can do this…" Maggie thought to herself, willing her brain to help her mouth with something intellectual.

Luckily, Kendall spared her from coming up with something on the spot.

"Was there something you needed?"

"You." Maggie wanted so desperately to say, but bit her tongue. Thinking it wouldn't be wise to rush into that so quickly.

"Uh…I just…wanted to see you."

"Oh."

Maggie was thrown by Kendall's reply, not sure whether Kendall was disappointed or surprised at Maggie's words.

Noticing Kendall's pajamas, Maggie shifted from side to side as she realized she wasn't making any monumental changes with the way the conversation between the two of them was going, or lacking.

"So I better get going…I mean, you're probably getting ready to hit the sack or something." Maggie spoke lamely, motioning to the door; she began to walk backwards but was stopped by Kendall's small smile.

"I was about to put the water on for some coffee, would you like to stay for some coffee? Or alcohol?"

Kendall attempted to use sarcasm to calm down the obviously nervous younger woman. Kendall didn't want Maggie to go, not when it was clear that Maggie had shown up tonight with a reason.

"Coffee would be nice, thanks." Maggie replied, declining the alcohol since what happened between them before as a result.

Kendall let out a sigh of relief, glad that Maggie had accepted her offer. Motioning Maggie to follow her, Kendall walked into her little kitchenette.

Following Kendall to the little kitchen area in the apartment, Maggie leaned against the counter while Kendall stood a few feet away from her in front of the stove.

"I didn't come for just coffee." Maggie found herself saying suddenly.

"I know."

"I…there's things we need to talk about."

"Haven't we already?" Kendall asked, back still turned to Maggie. Knowing that if she were to turn around, her walls would drop completely and she would embarrass herself by begging Maggie to give her another chance.

"Not really. I mean, unless you consider my going off on you on more than one occasion and running from you as a talk." Maggie joked.

Getting no reply, Maggie cleared her throat.

"Thank you, Kendall."

"What for?" Kendall asked, turning around at Maggie's thanking her. For what, she didn't know.

"For putting up with the way I've been treating you…"

"Shouldn't I be the one thanking you for that?"

"For giving me space and time to decide." Maggie added.

"I told you, I'd give you as much time as you wanted."

"Yeah, but you didn't have to wait." Maggie whispered wonderingly, not able to grasp why someone would find her worth waiting for.

"I'd wait forever for you, if you asked." Kendall whispered softly, vulnerably.

This surprised Maggie so much that she coughed once again, trying to get her bearing.

What could she say to such a statement as honest and powerful as _that_?

Once again, she was saved by Kendall.

"Maggie?"

"Yeah?" Maggie looked up, hearing Kendall's unusual hesitance.

"I, um…I think I…love you."

Kendall was unsure of whether or not she said the right thing, she was hoping that the four months she had given Maggie was enough to prepare the other woman for this moment.

She watched as the softest of smiles appeared on Maggie's face, a curious flutter began in her stomach.

Something that had been happening every time she saw Maggie.

"Good, because I think I love you too."

End


	17. WARNING!

August 23, 2010

Hello readers!

Please be aware that the user tinapwet, on , has taken and re-posted my story "Learning to Love" WITHOUT my expressed consent and without notifying me. I only happened on it tonight. She re-posted my story in January 2010 when I had originally posted the story in 2008. I've alerted the moderators of but I also wanted you all to know and to watch out for this poser. It is NEVER okay to re-post someone's work that they've put time and effort into.

While writing fanfiction is fun and a great way to have 'what-if' scenarios play out that include our favorite characters, there's nothing fun about somebody coming in and taking what you've put together as they're own.

Again, that's user TINAPWET. And by all means, please spam her and let yourselves be known that stealing the writings of others is not something to be tolerated.

-faithx5452 aka the original writer of "Learning to Love"


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